Rep Power: 0

Well, this car has had me pretty darn frustrated for the past month, so first let me give a little background.

I bought the car late March from a used auto dealer in PA (120 miles from me), a friend of mine has an 05 HCH-I and he loves it as do I; so I decided to pick one up. Got approved for the loan, bought it, loved it. I got 30 miles outside of the dealer after I purchased the car and the IMA/Check engine light came on. So I got home, read the codes, same two codes that every IMA battery failure throws (after a few minutes of research on google). I contacted the dealer and after a week of them throwing me a load of crap they finally caved and said they would fix it.
I gave the car back, they put in another battery, I was a happy guy. Until I got ONLY TWO MILES from the dealer and the same lights came on. I immediately turned around, called the dealer, told him to fix it right this time. I also told them to actually test drive the car since they clearly didn't before.
Now three weeks after I bought the car they're finally done (mind you, I've now driven close to a thousand miles over this crap, I'm sure you can sense my frustration). I drive home, no lights, no issues with the IMA, getting low 50's for gas mileage, I'm a happy camper.
I noticed through driving that every now and again the charging/assist and IMA level would act weird, figured it was because of a new battery, maybe it needed to learn or calibrate so I kept driving. Fast forward to present day (Two days after temp tags have expired) I notice that on start up the IMA & Check engine light don't illuminate, RED FLAG.
So I pulled out my code reader and was confronted with six codes.
P1435 - HYB - Charge/Discharge Balance Problem - CURRENT
P1433 - HYB - Battery Module Deterioriation - CURRENT
P1600 - ENG - Integrated Motor Assist System Malfunction - CURRENT
P1601 - ENG - Integrated Motor Assis System Malfunction Without Malfunction Indicator Lamp - CURRENT
P1600 - MOD - Integrated Motor Assist System Malfunction - CONFIRMED
P1433 - MOD - Battery Module Deterioriation - CONFIRMED

Let me describe how exactly this thing behaves when it acts up. I'll be driving, happy and dandy, singing my favorite song, getting some sweet assist from the hybrid motor like normal, and then out of nowhere it will stop assisting. The system will charge (about 20-25%) under throttle less than 50%. So as I'm giving it gas it charges. Any throttle greater than 50% in doesn't show charge or assist (This has been tested in 4th & 5th gear at 40-80mph on multiple occasions). It essentially behaves as if the battery is reading 0% and needs to be charged. However, the battery guage, when this happens, will start at full when it was working properly, and rapidly drop even when there is no assist. This condition normally last for a minute or two, and once it kicks out of this mode the battery gauge will fill back up from 0 (or whereever it stopped "draining") to full in less than a minute. It's almost like a sensor for the battery percentage is going haywire.

This issue didn't happen before the battery was replaced, and doesn't happen under any specific condition other than just driving normally.

I'd also like to add that I know my way fairly well around these giant hunks of metal, but it is the dealers responsibility to sell me a working car when it was advertised as such.

Cliffnotes:
Bought an 04 HCH, found out the IMA battery was toast, had it replaced, that one was toast, had it replaced again, now it's having a charge issue. Charges under <50% throttle, doesn't assist >50% throttle. This condition only lasts a minute or so. IMA gauge goes to empty under this condition, back up to full when it steps out of this condition. Scanner is pulling 6 codes listed above.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

 
Rep Power: 518

This is an example of how one moron with a pair of pliers can completely ruin a perfectly good car quicker than you can make a sandwich.



Not really. They sell hunks of metal, all they have to provide is a clear title. You HOPE it is a working hunk of metal.

All car dealers lie. Just figure that all salespeople lie.
It's your responsibility to have a PRE-purchase inspection done on the car by someone competent, observant, and hopefully intimately familiar with the cars.....especially when it comes to specialty cars like a hybrid.

Seems to me your seller isn't/won't/can't fix it, but they can and will break it more.
They already got your money, they don't need to care about you any longer.



Did you get any promise of repairs by the seller in writing? If not, you probably don't have a leg to stand on.


The correct fix is not cheap, and the cost of your needed repair probably exceeded the profit margin on their sale (maybe exceeded the value of the car, for all I know). Only now they broke it even worse.
They are DONE





If you want it fixed, go collect all the original parts the seller removed or broke.
Take all those parts to a HONDA DEALERSHIP along with your credit cards and hope for the best. Then see about suing the seller for the cost of the repairs.

Or sell the car to some other sucka you don't know.



/ray of freekin sunshine

 
Rep Power: 0

Update: since the check engine and IMA lights weren't illuminating on start and I got 6 codes, I took it upon myself to disassemble the gauge cluster. The IMA and check engine light were removed.

 
Rep Power: 0

Also, I do have promise of repairs in writing from the dealer. All communication was made via text for this specific reason.

 
Rep Power: 518

I figured as much. Can you fix that yourself? (Were they regular bulbs or were they LEDs?)

Well good, I hope that helps your case. Keep us posted.


P1433 code is pretty much an automatic battery replacement ("code of death"). No other diagnosis needed.

P1600 and P1601 in the PCM only mean there are codes in the IMA system that need to be read.

P1435 is commonly found along with the "battery codes of death". That will be gone once you get a good healthy IMA battery. (Troubleshooting guide states to troubleshoot all other IMA codes present first. Then recheck.)


HTH

 
Rep Power: 0

Unfortunately they are soldered on LED lights, so the repair would be to replace the gauge cluster.

I'm going to speak with the service tech that worked on the car first thing in the morning, then I will contact the dealer and give him two options.
I take it to a shop of my choice locally and send him the bill
or I see him in court.

 
Rep Power: 518

IMO the sellers have proven themselves unwilling or incapable of executing any proper repairs, so I would not allow them to touch the car at all.

Get them to pay all the bills a for Honda dealer to take care of the repairs the right way (factory remanufactured IMA battery plus all necessary software programming updates), along with fixing the stuff they tore up (dealer to replace the gauge cluster).

 
Rep Power: 0

Exactly. This is what I will propose to them or I will take them to court. I REALLY don't want to go to court, but will do if necessary.

 
Rep Power: 0

Update: I called the service advisor at Honda who worked on my car when it was in their hands. The write up is for diagnostic which resulted in a bad IMA battery diagnosis. I asked him about the lights being removed, he said he'd have nothing to do with that.
I did a little bit of research on the repercussions of doing this and it is considered fraudulent concealment which is illegal. I plan on giving the dealer three options.

Refund me the full price of the car and I will keep it as well as fix the problems on my own accord.
I will take the car to a Honda dealership and send him the bill for the damage caused to the gauge cluster as well as fixing the original issue.
I will see him in court.

 
Rep Power: 0

FYI, Dealer refers to the establishment that I purchased the car from, which is NOT Honda.

 
Rep Power: 518

I like that term...

I believe removing the light(s) is considered breaking Federal Emissions laws.